This invention relates generally to electrical interconnect systems and more particularly to power connectors.
Modem electronic systems are often built on multiple printed circuit boards. A traditional configuration for a computerized product, such as a router, is to have a printed circuit board that serves as a backplane. Several other printed circuit boards, called daughter cards, are connected to the backplane. The daughter cards contain the electronic circuitry of the system. The backplane contains traces or planes that route signal and power to the daughter cards. Electrical connectors are attached to the printed circuit boards and electrical connections are made through these connectors.
Different types of connectors are generally used for signals and power connections. Signal connectors should carry many signals in a small area. However, because the signals are often of high frequency, there is a risk of cross-talk. Therefore, the signal connectors often have special shielding.
Power connectors need to carry much higher current than signal connectors. In addition, because the power in an electronic system might have a dangerous voltage, the backplane power connectors often need protective features to prevent a human from accidentally contacting a power conductor. Thus, many of the requirements for signal and power connectors are different.
One requirement of power connectors that does not exist with signal connectors is the need for various mating levels. The mating levels are particularly useful for a function called xe2x80x9chot swapxe2x80x9d. With hot swap, a connection is made or removed while system power is on. For example, a daughter card might be plugged into a backplane while the power is on. To ensure proper operation of the circuitry on the daughter card, or to avoid damage to the daughter card circuitry, it is often desirable that power be applied to various components in a particular order. Multiple mating levels are used to provide this capability.
The circuits that are to receive power first are connected to the longest power contacts. These contacts mate first and therefore provide power to selected circuits first. As electronic systems get more complicated, the number of mating levels required increases.
Also, as systems get more complicated, the circuitry requires more voltage levels to operate correctly.
It would be desirable to have a power connector that could flexibly handle many voltage levels and mating levels.
Further, we have recognized that for high speed interconnects, it is desirable to have a low inductance power power/return loop.
With the foregoing background in mind, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved power connector.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved in a waferized power connector. The connector is assembled from two different types of wafers and with an insulative cap. The connector mates with a backplane power module having enclosed contacts.